It was a person after all, but she was suspended in mid-air. Abi’s heart began to thump against her ribcage as the full horror of what she was seeing became apparent. Her shrill scream pierced the silence, startling birds into taking flight. ‘Help me!’ she cried. ‘Somebody please help!’When beautiful and bright Hannah is late for their morning run, her best friend Abi thinks nothing of it. Hannah … Hannah isn’t always that reliable – she’s probably just overslept.But as Abi runs through the woods, following the same route she always does, she is greeted by a horrifying sight: Hannah’s body, swaying in the breeze.Detective Rachel Hart is called to the scene. Something seems wrong from the start. Hannah’s friends and family insist that she had everything to live for, and no one has a bad word to say about her. But when murder is confirmed, and Rachel starts digging, she soon realises that there were plenty of people with reason to want Hannah dead.Then a second woman is found strangled in the same wood, and everything Rachel thought is thrown into doubt. Is there a serial killer at work?Rachel is determined to find answers before another life is lost – all the time unaware that the killer’s sights are focussed firmly on her.Can Rachel unravel the deadly game before she walks into a trap?A breathtakingly twisty thriller for fans of Rachel Abbott, Cara Hunter and Angela Marsons.What readers are saying about Why She Died:‘Excellent thriller making the reader hold his/her breath!… Brilliant!… I could not put the book down until I had finished it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘We were hit with twist after twist, truly keeping you on your toes… I devoured this book in one sitting… a thrilling read.’ Hannah May Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Loved this book! I couldn’t put it down!… a fast-paced book that I thoroughly enjoyed!’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Fantastic… love the series and Rachel Hart… a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns… I just can’t speak highly enough of this book and a very worthy five stars.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Loved it!!!… so many twists and turns… Definitely recommend… a great mystery/thriller’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Very gripping… just brilliant’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘In my top 10… kept me guessing from start to finish with a great twist at the end.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Boy what a read. Full of suspects, misdirection and a great twist at the end… a top-notch crime thriller… A well-deserved five stars and so Highly Recommended.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Twist filled, fast paced… tension builds with every turn of the page… a super series’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Page-turning, engrossing and enthralling… fast-paced… will keep the reader guessing.’ The Reader’s Vault, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘The amount of plot twists and turns will give you whiplash (but in a good way!)’ Tamsterdam Reads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Gripping… thoroughly enjoyable… kept me turning pages for hours… truly movie-worthy.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Intriguing and addictive. Once I started, it was almost impossible to stop. The author has a great writing style and is a wonderful storyteller.’ B for Bookreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This series just gets better and better!… awesome… a fast, exciting read!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Hannah is found hanging from a tree in the woods along a running path. First thought to be a suicide, the medical examiner rules it a homicide. There are strangulation marks under the noose.
Detective Rachel Hart and her team are called to investigate. She has barely begun when another woman is found strangled in the same woods.
As the investigation centers around family, friends, co-workers, Hart is surprised at the number of people who did not like Hannah … and most all have reasons to want her dead.
Then a second woman is found strangled in the same woods, and everything Rachel thought is thrown into doubt. Is there a serial killer at work?
Third in this trilogy, it is easily read as a stand alone. It’s well-written with a solid plot. There are many suspects / people of interest to watch. Characters are deftly drawn … warts and all. I really enjoy the balance of professional and personal in Hart’s life. There are twists and turns and the ending is stupendous … never saw it coming!
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
My Rating:
3.5
Favorite Quote:
Quicker than a heartbeat, Lucie grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back and had him pressed up against the wall. Phil was stunned into silence. ‘The first rule of combat, Phil, is to know your opponent. I might look like a fragile little Bible-thumper, but when I’m not singing in the choir or going to church services, I do martial arts so I can deal with idiots like you,’ she said, forcing his arm further up his back to press home her advantage.
My Review:
The premise and storylines were well-conceived, smartly paced, well-plotted, and twisty. The identities of the guilty parties were not at all ones I had suspected, and I love it when that happens. However, I had an issue with the variability of the writing which at times seemed as if written by two different people at dissimilar levels of skill development due to the quality being noticeably jagged and uneven in emotional depth and at the most crucial of times felt oddly flat and one-dimensional. Although, it may just be that I’ve recently been spoiled by an exceptionally superb lineup of extraordinary scribes that would make even Hemingway pale in comparison.
Why She Died by J.G. Roberts
Detective Rachel Hart #3
Murders happen
Killers kill
Why do they kill
And
How do they choose their prey?
Policemen follow clues
Look for reasons
Killers kill
Hoping to stop
Another murder
Coming into a series after t he main character and her team have had two books to settle into their roles is not always easy. I did have enough tidbits of information to realize that Rachel was in charge, had been off duty a bit due to a family situation, had suffered a bad situation with her twin during childhood and that her twin was missing. Rachel seemed a bit fragile but willing to do her job. Her team were there to follow the clues and determine who the murderer was from a whole lot of contenders.
Most of the characters in this book are friends from college, the people they are dating or work with and a few are family. There are also policemen and women and the people they encounter and live with or date. There are some twists, turns and surprises before the book is wrapped up at the end. The police procedural aspects flowed, and it was easy to follow the reasoning of those working the case.
I felt there were many threads to the story as it was not just limited to the murder case but also a couple of side stories that eventually tied into the overall story. I am wondering if I had read the first two books I would feel I knew Rachel and understand her reasoning and actions better in this book. That said, it was able to be read as a standalone and will appeal to those that like British police procedurals.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
What starts as a seemingly simple case suddenly takes a turn for what can only be described as “OMG, what the heck just happened?!?” I thought the author did a terrific job of laying the groundwork of the investigation for Rachel and her team. The investigation is straightforward…for the most part. I did think the author spent a little bit more time than expected on Rachel’s obsession with her missing twin sister, but by the end of the book, it is crystal clear why she did that. It all worked within the story, and certainly left my jaw hanging open in shock a few times. Read the other books in the series first, just for the backstory, but don’t miss this one. For a complete review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.